A NEW dedicated waiting lounge is set to open at Liverpool Lime Street.
The facility is designed to enhance the travelling experience for passengers who need help getting on and off trains.
The space will offer a quiet, "welcoming" area for passengers with additional mobility and sensory needs, with a "dedicated" team ready to assist.
Among its features, the lounge will include accessible seating with integrated space for wheelchairs, an accredited Changing Places toilet facility, a staffed welcome desk, and British Sign Language information screens.
Kyla Thomas, Liverpool Lime Street's station manager, said: "Changing Places facilities play a crucial role in all train stations and as a key transport hub, it will be a massive benefit to Liverpool Lime Street.
"It will ensure people with complex physical needs can travel with dignity, comfort, and independence."
The opening of the new Assisted Travel Lounge has been welcomed by major train operators serving Liverpool Lime Street.
Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: "All improvements to stations that make them more accessible to customers are to be welcomed – and a Changing Places toilet at Liverpool Lime Street is a great addition to the accessibility roll call in the region."
Andrea Thomas, Avanti West Coast station manager at Liverpool Lime Street, said: "It’s great Liverpool Lime Street is benefiting from these facilities, as it will improve the experience and offer more journey opportunities for customers travelling on our network."
Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director at London Northwestern Railway, said: "Having a dedicated waiting room with a staffed welcome desk means our passengers who need assistance can feel confident they’ll get the support they need."
The station team at Liverpool Lime Street, in collaboration with train operators, assisted more than 22,000 people last year.
Councillor Steve Foulkes, chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: "We're delighted to see these new facilities open at Lime Street station, which will help make journeys more comfortable for passengers with additional needs."
Network Rail has signed an agreement with Muscular Dystrophy UK to ensure the facility is ready by the summer of 2025.
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